NOVEMBER 28, 2015

KING'S MEN FALL TO SCRANTON IN CROSS COUNTY CHALLENGE OPENER

SCRANTON -- The King's College men's basketball team shot just 33.3 (20-6-) percent from the field and only 21.1 (4-19) shots form three-point range as the Monarchs fell 70-58 to the University of Scranton on the first day of the Cross County Challenge at Marywood University in Scranton.

With the loss King's slipped to 4-2 while Scranton improved to 4-1. Despite making only 24.2 (8-33) of its shots in the first half the Monarchs trailed just 24-21 at the break, thanks in large part to forcing 11 Scranton turnovers in the opening stanza

In the second half the Monarchs cut the lead to one point on five occasions but could not get over the hump until a Jake Barber lay-up with 12:56 to play gave King's a 33-32 advantage. 

After the teams traded baskets the Royals took a 36-35 lead on a pair of foul shots from Drew Schankweiler with 11:24 to play. After nearly two minutes of scoreless play Mike Prociak gave King's a 37-36 lead on an inside bucket with 9:47 to play. Bur Scranton recaptured the lead with 9:30 remaining on a pair of free throws by Brendan Boken to give the Royals a 38-37 lead. 

After a King's miss, Scranton used a Kevin Doolan lay-up and a three-pointer from Ethan Danzig to push the score to 43-38. A King's miss was followed by five straight points from Doolan to give Scranton a 48-38 lead with 7:29 to play.

King's battled back and went on a 9-3 spurt to cut the lead to 51-47 on an inside shot from Tom Heston, a driving lay-up from Barber, and two free throws by Dan Rutecki with 5:30 left.  After Scranton incrased the lead to seven-points after a Doolan jumper, King's countered with a three-pointer by Barber to bring the Monarchs within 55-51 with 3:42 to go. 

But Scranton got s huge three-pointer from Danzig with 3:24 on the clock as King's would come no closer than five points the rest of the way.

Rutecki paced King's with 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and five steals while Barber also tallied 14 points with two boards. Heston added 10 points and 10 rebounds while Nate Oliver contributed five points. No other King's player had more than four points.

Doolan led all scorers with 24 points while Boken added 16 points and five rebounds. Danzig chipped in with 14 points for the Royals.

King's concludes play at the event Sunday with a 3:00 p.m. matchup against host Marywood.